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The European Space Agency’s Hera Mission: A Side Quest with Mars
The journey into space is a complex and lengthy one, allowing for interesting detours and side quests along the way. The European Space Agency’s Hera mission is no exception, with a planned close encounter with Mars and its moon Deimos during its upcoming mission. Scheduled to launch in October, Hera’s primary objective is to visit the binary asteroid system called Didymos, specifically to survey the smaller asteroid in the pair known as Dimorphos.
Dimorphos gained notoriety as part of NASA’s DART mission, a demonstration of planetary defense capabilities that involved intentionally crashing a spacecraft into the asteroid to alter its trajectory around Didymos. The success of the DART mission paved the way for Hera’s mission to further study the effects of the impact and gather valuable data for future asteroid defense strategies.
A Martian Flyby En Route to Didymos
During its two-year journey to Didymos, Hera will utilize a gravity assist from Mars in March of next year. This strategic maneuver will help propel the spacecraft towards its rendezvous with Didymos while conserving fuel for the mission. The gravity assist from Mars will allow Hera to arrive at the binary asteroid system ahead of schedule, maximizing the scientific and planetary defense potential of the mission.
As Hera approaches Mars, it will come within a close proximity to both the planet and its moon Deimos. The spacecraft will take advantage of this opportunity to observe and study Mars and Deimos using its sophisticated science instruments, including the HyperScout-H camera and Thermal Infrared Imager. This close encounter will provide valuable data for calibration and potentially lead to new scientific discoveries.
Collaborative Research and Future Missions
The Hera mission team plans to collaborate with other missions, such as the Emirates Mars Mission, ESA’s Mars Express, and the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, to study Deimos and gather unique insights into the moon. This joint research effort aims to expand our understanding of Mars’ moons and contribute to ongoing exploration efforts.
The data collected during the Deimos encounter will also support the planning and execution of JAXA’s Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, set to launch in 2026. By sharing knowledge and collaborating with other space agencies, Hera’s mission will have a lasting impact on future exploration endeavors.
After its brief encounter with Mars and Deimos, Hera will continue its journey towards Didymos and Dimorphos. The spacecraft will gather valuable information on the altered asteroid to deepen our understanding of the effects of the DART mission and advance our capabilities in planetary defense.
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